The Battleship New Jersey, docked in Camden, New Jersey. (Credit: Randall E. Scott)

By Mark Abrams

CAMDEN, N.J. (CBS) – Radio operators from the Battleship New Jersey are trying make contact with dozens of military and museum vessels from around the world by way of ham radio.

Dave Burgess, chief engineer for the Battleship New Jersey, says his organization is the chief sponsor of the event for museum ships.

He says more than 100 crews of operators will be participating on ships from as close as Norfolk, Virginia, all the way across the globe to Brisbane, Australia; Tonder, Denmark, or even Vienna, Austria.

“Museum ships from around the world come together and talk to as many other ships and other ham radio operators from around the world,” he explains.

Burgess says the On-The-Air event builds camaraderie among the operators of the ships as well as generates public interest in maritime history and the vessels that have played a role.

He says visitors to the Battleship New Jersey will be invited to sit with the radio operators and some might even be invited to speak with a radio operator or guest sitting aboard one of the participating ships.

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Mark Abrams is a versatile part of the KYW Newsradio family, serving as a reporter, anchor and editor.
A graduate of Kutztown State College, he got his start in the industry in the mid-1970s as a talk-show producer, later serving as a reporter,...